General Body Meeting

September 4^th, 2025

Huntsman Hall JMHH F60

Agenda for this meeting

SASGov General Body Meeting | 4th September, 2025

6:00-6:15 Food and Attendance

Who We Are

27 departments; 32 graduate groups

1200 Ph.D. students and 200 research masters students (in 2024-2025)

SASGov General Body Meeting | 4th September, 2025

Who We Are

SASGov General Body Meeting | 4th September, 2025

SAS Graduate Students

President

VP of Operations

VP of Social Affairs

VP of Public Affairs

VP of Communications

VP of Finance

VP of Policy

Policy Committee

Finance Committee

Public Affairs Committee

Social Committee

WHO WE ARE

EXECUTIVE BOARD

WHO WE ARE

GASPA REPRESENTATIVES

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Serve as School liaisons to GAPSA

Attend all GAPSA GA and committee meetings

Xiang Lu

Physics

Anna Luurtsema

Anthropology

Bo-Hyung Ryoo

Chemistry

Matthew Mena

Chemistry

Vacant

Could be you?

WHAT WE DO

Policy

Communicate the needs of SAS students to administration through various forums and partnerships

Events

Supporting academic, professional, cultural, and social activities with the aim of enriching the student experience and fostering a sense of community.

Funding

Meet the financial needs of graduate students in SAS through grants

SASGov General Body Meeting | 4th September, 2025

SASGov General Body Meeting | 4th September, 2025

WHAT WE DO - SOCIAL EVENTS

SASGov General Body Meeting | 4th September, 2025

WHAT WE DO - ACADEMIC EVENTS

SASGov General Body Meeting | 4th September, 2025

Presidents Updates

Increasing our engagement within the SAS community.

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Come see us at GAPSA’s GradFair on September 17th, 2025

in Annenberg Plaza from 12-2PM)

(Check bio.site/gapsa for more info)

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Collaborate and engage in continued dialogue (with each other, Dean Wenger, UC, GAPSA, other G12+ student governments, etc.)

• Specifics include working with GAPSA on improving ISSS and access to mental health resources

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Working with administrators through the Graduate Education Committee (SAS) to improve the graduate experience; and the Graduate Council of Faculties to review and advise departments at the University Level.

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Major Priority is on fostering community and engaging more with policy at SAS and UPenn at large.

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SASGov General Body Meeting | 4th September, 2025

Expectations of Representatives

• Communicate with Us and Your Graduate Group
• We get important information that can help graduate students.
• Communicate in whatever manner makes most sense in your graduate group
• Tell us about issues that your graduate group are facing
• Serve on 1+ Committee
• The majority of our operations are conducted by executive board or in committees
• Think about what committees you’d like to join and email me and Anna (sasgov-pres@sas.upenn.edu, sasgov-comm@sas.upenn.edu)
• Attend Meetings
• Eligibility for departmental merit is contingent upon attendance
• Proxies allowed with proper notice (1 hour before regular meetings; 24 hours before budget or election meetings) and no more than 2/semester
• Communicate this with the VP of Comms!
• Attend ELECTIONS!

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Typical Responsibilities

• GB reps act as information bridges to/from departments/programs
• Approve the yearly budget
• Vote in elections
• Discuss/debate policy
• Pass resolutions

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What is Policy?

We “monitor issues of importance to its constituents and foster a dialogue among its members for the purpose of identifying relevant issues of advocacy.”

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• SASGov helps bridge the gap between administration and students
• Helps provide students with information and resources
• Gives voice to the greatest concerns students have to faculty and administrators

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• Some focus areas:
• International Students
• Loss of funding
• Mental Health
• Contracts

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SASGov General Body Meeting | 5th September, 2024

Policy Updates

Policy Committee Projects

• International Student Issues
• Resources for Graduate Students
• Mental Health and Wellness Improvement
• Funding Issues in Departments
• Updating Websites
• Organizing a Town Hall with Dean Beth Wenger

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If you or anyone in your department is interested in working on improve the graduate student experience, please join or have them join the Policy Committee!

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SASGov General Body Meeting | 5th September, 2024

Policy Updates

VP of Policy, with the help of the Policy Committee, reviews and organize changes to the Constitution as is necessary.

Constitution: https://sasgov.sas.upenn.edu/policy/constitution

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SASGov General Body Meeting | 5th September, 2025

Parliamentary Procedure

Robert’s Rules https://www.ibabs.com/en/roberts-rules-of-order/

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Motions:

• A motion is a formal proposal for consideration and action.
• Only one motion can be made at a time
• No main motion can be made while the body is already considering a prior motion.
• Chair recognizes motion

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• General Motion Procedure:
• Motion is made (I move that…or motion to X)
• Motion is seconded
• Motion is debated/discussed
• Motion is voted on

SASGov General Body Meeting | 4th September, 2025

Parlipro Activity

Robert’s Rules DEMONSTRATION

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Types of Motions:

• Main Motion
• Brings new business before the body
• Subsidiary Motions- Concern a main motion and modifying the discussion
• Call the question, limit or extend debate, motion to amend
• Incidental Motions – Questions about procedures (no vote)
• Points of information, inquiry, order
• Privileged Motions – Do not relate to the main Motion but are important
• Adjourn, Recess, Reconsider

https://www.ibabs.com/en/roberts-rules-of-order/

SASGov General Body Meeting | 4th September, 2025

GETUP Updates

• A representative in SASGov’s GB who participates in GETUP committees will provide relevant oral updates

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SASGov General Body Meeting | 4th September, 2025

Finance Updates

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Goals for this year:

• Completely utilize our G12 allotment

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• Continue to provide financial support for SAS student research and academic growth

Interested in the grant process? Want to help facilitate the use of the SASGov budget? Join the finance committee!

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Finance Updates

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SASGov General Body Meeting | 4tj September, 2025

Mock Budget - to be voted on 9/18

Key changes from 2025-26 budget:

• 8% INCREASE!!!!

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Worth noting:

• Admin budget includes all food and happy hour for meetings, end of year swag, and individual committee spending (town hall, grant decision meetings, etc.)
• Social budget is supplemented by GAPSA IPF ($17,898.94 total)

Public Affairs Updates

Goals for this year:

1. Increase social media engagement
2. Maintain website to its most up-to-date
3. Have good swag this year!

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Join the Public Affairs Committee if you want to help select speakers for Penn Grad Talks in January/February! As per tradition, Canes will be provided during this meeting…

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Can also assist in making posters/flyers, advertising, posting on social media, maintaining the website, etc.

Sorry I’m not able to be there! See you Oct 2nd :(

Vice President of Communications

Goals for this year:

1. Standardize communication between representatives and their departments
2. Get all SAS departments represented in SASGov!

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Establish communication with your department — get access to the grad listserv, sending updates to the grad coordinator, etc.

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We are missing reps from Africana Studies, Applied Math & Computer Science, Pure Math, MELC, Music (26/32 grad groups - not bad!)

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First GAPSA meeting is next Wednesday

Vice President of Social

Goals for this year:

1. Max out our social funds for fun events
2. Fully use IPF funds to connect with G12+ schools

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Get involved!!! Join the Social Committee to organize events and get FREE volunteer tickets!

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Upcoming event:

1-hour group guided tour @ Rodin Museum

• Sep 14, Sun, 2 pm - 4 pm
• 30 tickets in total, 2 groups, $3 per person
• Sale starts next week. Stay tuned!

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Vice President of Operations

Goals for this year:

1. Catering Google Sheet
2. Bring Good Vibez and Food

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Please fill out the survey about food preferences!

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**If you end up running late just let me know [843-973-0444] and I’ll save you some food!

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SASGov General Body Meetings - Fall 2025

September 18^th

October 2^nd

October 16^th

October 30^th

November 13^th

Meetings shall run for 90 minutes, extendable only by three-fourths vote

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In person attendance preferred; Zoom option available

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If you cannot attend a meeting, please send a co-rep or proxy after emailing the VP of Communications in advance

All future meetings in JMHH 370 | 6-7:30 PM

Join University Council Committees and other avenues

University Council (UC)

Graduate Students have 15 seats on University Council, which is the highest deliberative body at the university

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University Council has representation from graduate students, undergraduates, post-docs, staff, and faculty

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The President and Provost attend all meetings

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UC Committees

University Council has 5 committees with student representation:

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Academic and Related Affairs

Campus and Community Life

Diversity and Equity

Facilities

Honorary Degrees

Open Expression

Committee on Committees

Trustee Committees

Graduate students have a seat on committees of the Board of Trustees:

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Academic Policy

Budget and Finance

Student Life

Local, National, Global Engagement

Facilities & Campus Planning

Other University Committees

Academic Planning and Budget

Social Responsibility

Manufacturer Responsibility

Student Health Insurance

Graduate Council of Faculties

Learn more : bio.site/gapsa

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Other Committees

Student Financial Services

Penn Museum

Wellness Advisory Group

GET CONNECTED

Quick Links: bio.site/SASGov

Website: sasgov.sas.upenn.edu

Instagram: @upennsasgov

GAPSA Seat Election + Voluntary Reporters

GAPSA Rep Procedure

• State Any Collected Nominations
• Call for Nominations
• Close Nominations
• Brief One Minute Speeches by each candidate to GB (candidates not in the room at the same time)
• Q & A round (3 questions, more can be asked with a vote).

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• Ballots are distributed then counted or voting may be done by acclamation if there is only one candidate.
• Results Announced

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Internal Grievance Procedure

• If anyone has a grievance against an Exec Board, can go to Voluntary Reporters
• We need two non-Exec members to serve as Voluntary Reporters (voted in by simple majority)
• Very rare to have anything but just in case…

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SASGov General Body Meeting | 4th September, 2025

OPEN FLOOR!

Join Us for Happy Hour!

SASGov General Body Meeting | 27th February, 2025